On July 30, 2025, Birmingham, England, became a sea of heavy metal horns and tearful tributes as tens of thousands lined the streets to bid farewell to Ozzy Osbourne, the “Prince of Darkness,” during his funeral procession. The Black Sabbath frontman, who passed away on July 22, 2025, at age 76, was honored with a poignant cortege through his hometown, passing his childhood home in Aston and the iconic Black Sabbath Bridge. Amid the chants of “Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Oi, Oi, Oi!” and the brass band Bostin’ Brass playing renditions of “Iron Man” and “Crazy Train,” a heart-wrenching moment between Kelly Osbourne, her family, and her mother, Sharon, captured the world’s attention, leaving fans in tears.
A Hero’s Send-Off in Birmingham
The procession began at 12:45 PM, with a Jaguar hearse carrying Ozzy’s coffin—adorned with purple flowers spelling “Ozzy”—passing his childhood home on Lodge Road, Aston, near Villa Park, where he performed his final Black Sabbath concert on July 5, 2025. The cortege, accompanied by six Mercedes funeral cars, police motorcycles, and a police car, moved slowly through Birmingham’s Broad Street, where fans had gathered since dawn. Flowers were thrown onto the hearse, and a mural on Navigation Street paid homage to the rock legend who, alongside bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward, defined heavy metal.
At the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench, a memorial site since Ozzy’s death, thousands of tributes—flowers, balloons, and handwritten notes—created a vibrant tapestry of love. The Osbourne family, including Sharon, 72, Kelly, 40, Jack, 39, Aimee, 41, and Louis, stopped to lay their own floral tributes, each carrying a pink flower wrapped in black paper. The crowd’s cheers and chants grew louder, with superfan Amy Maybury describing the atmosphere as “beautiful” and “united,” noting fans from as far as the USA and Scotland had traveled to honor Ozzy.
Kelly’s Heartbreak: “We’ll Be Okay, Dad…”
Kelly Osbourne, visibly devastated, was a focal point of the procession’s emotional weight. Clutching her one-year-old son, Sidney, and supported by her fiancé, Slipknot’s Sid Wilson—who proposed to her backstage at Ozzy’s final concert—she broke down in tears as the family viewed the tributes. Kelly, wearing her father’s signature blue-tinted sunglasses as a subtle nod to his legacy, was seen comforting her mother before collapsing into her brother Jack’s arms.
As the family stood by the Black Sabbath bench, Kelly whispered, “We’ll be okay, Dad… we’ll be okay,” her voice trembling but resolute. The words, overheard by nearby fans and later shared across social media, encapsulated her grief and determination to carry on her father’s legacy. Posts on X echoed the sentiment, with one user writing, “Kelly’s words to Ozzy broke my heart. She’s promising to keep going for him.” Kelly’s close bond with Ozzy was well-known, highlighted by their 2003 duet “Changes,” which topped the UK charts, and a recent video she shared of Ozzy with Sidney at breakfast, just days before his death.
Sharon’s Whisper: A Moment That Moved Thousands
Sharon Osbourne, frail and overcome with grief, was supported by Kelly and Jack as she stumbled slightly while approaching the tributes. Clutching Ozzy’s ring on a chain around her neck—a heartbreaking tribute—she doubled over in tears, her hands covering her face. In a moment that resonated deeply with those present, Sharon leaned toward Kelly and whispered, “He’s home now, love… he’s finally home.” The words, a reference to Ozzy’s longing to return to Birmingham in his final years, were a testament to their 43-year marriage and Sharon’s role as his steadfast manager and soulmate.
Fans erupted in cheers, chanting “We love you, Sharon,” as she raised a peace sign—Ozzy’s signature gesture—in gratitude. The crowd’s response, coupled with the brass band’s rendition of “Paranoid,” turned the somber moment into a celebration, fulfilling Ozzy’s wish for a funeral that was “not a mope-fest.” Social media posts captured the scene, with one X user writing, “Sharon’s whisper about Ozzy being home had me sobbing. Birmingham was his heart.”
A Family United in Grief
The Osbourne family’s unity was evident throughout the procession. Aimee, often private, joined her siblings in laying flowers, while Louis, from Ozzy’s first marriage to Thelma Riley, stood alongside them. Ozzy’s grandchildren, including Kelly’s son Sidney, waved to the crowd, a touching acknowledgment of their grandfather’s global impact. Sharon, described as “heartbroken” but “proud” by a family source, was the architect of the procession, covering its costs with Birmingham City Council’s support for road closures.
The family’s emotional tributes extended beyond the procession. Kelly’s Instagram post days earlier, quoting “Changes” with the words “I lost the best friend I ever had,” broke fans’ hearts, while a video from 2018 showed her and Ozzy dancing to George Ezra’s “Paradise” in a car, a lighthearted memory that underscored their bond. Sharon’s comments on social media, thanking friends like Gavin Rossdale and BBC Radio 1’s Jack Saunders for their tributes, reflected her gratitude amid grief.
Ozzy’s Legacy: A Celebration, Not a Mope-Fest
Ozzy Osbourne’s life was one of resilience, from his working-class roots in Aston to global stardom with Black Sabbath and a solo career that sold over 100 million records. Despite battles with Parkinson’s disease, spinal injuries, and substance abuse, he performed his final show seated on a throne, a compromise Sharon negotiated with insurers to ensure his farewell at Villa Park. His death, weeks later at his Buckinghamshire estate, was surrounded by family, with an air ambulance called to provide critical care in his final hours.
The procession embodied Ozzy’s wish for a celebratory farewell, as he once told The Sunday Times, “I don’t want it to be sad… it’s a way to say thank you.” Birmingham’s Lord Mayor, Zafar Iqbal, called Ozzy a “proud Brummie” who put the city “on the world map,” while plans for terminal artwork at Birmingham Airport and an exhibition, Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero, ensure his legacy endures.
A Final Encore for the Prince of Darkness
As the cortege moved on from Broad Street, fans continued to sing Black Sabbath songs, their voices echoing through Birmingham. Sharon’s whisper and Kelly’s promise to Ozzy resonated as symbols of love and loss, uniting a city and a global fanbase in celebrating a rock icon. A private funeral in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, attended by friends like Elton John, Yungblud, and Ozzy’s bandmates, will follow, but the procession was the public’s chance to say goodbye.
Ozzy’s letter, found in his guitar case after his final show, urged fans to “keep the music loud, keep the fire burning.” In Birmingham, on July 30, 2025, they did just that, ensuring the Prince of Darkness’s spirit lives on. As Kelly held her son and fiancé, and Sharon whispered of home, the Osbournes showed the world that even in grief, love and music endure.
